Heating - How many miles will your heating system "travel" this winter?

Sounds like a strange question, since heating units and systems are stationary in our homes, and don't actually travel anywhere.

Let's think about this from a different perspective... Our heating systems operate a certain number of hours each heating season. Obviously, more run hours in "heating dominant" climate zones versus "cooling dominant" climate zones. Duh, right? Of course, furnaces in upstate New York or Michigan are going to run many more hours than heat pumps in south Florida or Texas.

When it comes to heating systems, "run hours" are the same as mileage!

Check out how this works:

• Heating systems basically run at one speed, pedal to the metal at all times.
• For purposes of "mileage" assume 65-MPH.
• Heating degree days can be converted into heat load hours (aka "run hours")
• Multiply "run hours" X 65 to get the number of "miles" 

Example-1: Heating "run hours" = 2,000 hours per heating season

• 2,000 hours X 65-MPH = 130,000 "miles" 

To put this into perspective, an average of 12,000 miles/year is considered the norm for an automobile. Based on this stat, our heating systems put on over 10x more "miles" than our cars annually. We'd be able to circle the globe over 5x and still not equal the equivalent miles our heating system logs each and every year!

Most vehicles should have their oil changed every 5,000 miles, or about twice per year.

Considering our heating system is going more 20x further than the oil change interval, it's simple commonsense that we need to have it serviced annually.

Our heating systems NEED ANNUAL SERVICE to prevent problems, restore capacity, preserve efficiency and ensure safety! 

Content provided by: Comfort Trailblazer